Hamas spokesperson Hazem Qassem has called on the international community to pressure Israel to abide by the terms of the Gaza ceasefire agreement, particularly to end its military operations and allow unrestricted humanitarian access to the besieged territory.
In a statement published on Hamas’s Telegram channel on Friday, Qassem demanded the lifting of the blockade on Gaza and the “urgent and adequate entry of humanitarian aid.”
He emphasized that Hamas had received “clear guarantees” from mediators — including Egypt, Qatar, and Turkey — as well as “direct confirmations from the United States” that the war had effectively ended and that “implementing the terms of the agreement represents a complete end to it.”
Qassem warned against what he described as Israel’s potential use of humanitarian needs as a “political blackmail tool,” and urged “serious action to prevent a recurrence of the starvation policies practiced by the occupation during the long years of the blockade.”
The Hamas spokesperson said the movement was “keen to ensure the success of this agreement and its implementation on the ground.”
He added that the current stage was “dangerous not only for Hamas, but for the entire Palestinian people in Gaza and the West Bank,” stressing the need for unity to face the challenges ahead.
“We are entering a Palestinian national dialogue with open hearts and outstretched hands to all Palestinian forces,” Qassem said. “This is a time for national consensus and prioritising the national interest over narrow partisan interests.”
His remarks came amid reports of renewed Israeli strikes across Gaza, which Palestinian officials and humanitarian organizations say violate the ceasefire agreement which took effect on October 10.
Israeli tanks reportedly shelled residential areas in Gaza City, while a drone strike targeted Deir al-Balah in central Gaza.
Despite the truce, conditions remain dire. Many Palestinians attempting to return to their homes in northern Gaza face “daily struggle for survival.” Large parts of the region remain inaccessible due to the continued presence of Israeli forces.
A UN official urged Israel to allow “more [aid] trucks at more crossing points,” noting that current aid deliveries remain well below the levels agreed under the ceasefire terms.
Since the truce took effect, scores of Palestinians have been killed in continuing attacks, while recovery teams are still uncovering bodies from beneath the rubble of destroyed neighborhoods. In Gaza City’s Al-Zaytoun district, rescuers recently found the remains of more than 100 Palestinians in a mass grave. Reports indicate they were killed in an Israeli strike in November 2023 and buried in a large trench because Israeli forces prevented families from holding proper funerals.
According to Gaza health authorities, the death toll has risen to nearly 68,300 since the Israeli genocidal war began in 2023, with tens of thousands more wounded and missing amid widespread destruction.
